Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Suspicious parcels were found to contain ruthenium

TmNhRhMgBrSe - 4-7-2019 at 19:37

2 suspicious parcels were put near properties of 2 famous local businessmen and safely detonated by police. The parcels were later found to contain glass bottles of ruthenium solutions labeled 'ruthenium', unknown white powder, but no explosive materials. Police didn't rule out the possibility of prank intent.

j_sum1 - 4-7-2019 at 19:40

Citation?

TmNhRhMgBrSe - 4-7-2019 at 19:41

It was 4 years ago.
https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/news/20150306/bkn-20150306115324...

fusso - 4-7-2019 at 19:46

Ruthenium is so expensive. Who and why would he put such an expensive chemical in a prank bomb?:o

BromicAcid - 4-7-2019 at 20:48

Got a couple hundred grams of Rhenium delivered from China a few years back. No labels on the inside of the box, customs forms said something like "Plastic parts". Super shady.

j_sum1 - 4-7-2019 at 21:43

Quote: Originally posted by CELamCheng  
It was 4 years ago.
https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/news/20150306/bkn-20150306115324...

Either Google translate is having a bad day or there are deficiencies in the original article. Probably both.

But anyway, this paragraph makes for amusing reading:
Quote:
Feng Yingsheng, an associate professor at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Hong Kong, pointed out that helium is a rare metal that is expensive and is a toxic metal. 钌 generally does not exist independently and will form a different compound from other elements, and the compound is soluble in water or an organic solvent and becomes a liquid. He continued to point out that cockroaches have little effect and are mostly used for synthetic or experimental reagents. They are not explosive and are therefore unlikely to be used as bombs.